Complications after parotid gland surgery Our experience.

AIM: Complications after parotid surgery include deficit of the facial nerve, wound complications, as sialocele and salivary fistula, and Frey syndrome; the goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the type of parotid surgery performed and the incidence of each of these complications.

MATERIAL OF STUDY: A total of 184 patients were evaluated and 158 were included in the study. Four different kinds of intervention were made: extracapsular dissection, partial superficial parotidectomy; superficial parotidectomy and total parotidectomy. The incidence of each complication was studied and correlated to the type of surgery performed. Statistical analysis was done using the chi-square test of independence.

RESULTS: From all cases examined, 86 patients developed facial nerve complications with 59 minor asymmetry, 19 partial weakness and 8 complete weakness. Forty patients had wound complications, 28 sialocele and 12 salivary fistula. Sixteen patients developed Frey syndrome.

DISCUSSION: Facial nerve complications and Frey syndrome were significantly related to superficial or total parotidectomy, differently extracapsular dissection and partial superficial parotidectomy had more cases of wound complications.

CONCLUSION: The kind of complications that occur after parotid surgery depends on surgery performed. Chi-square test has a statistically significant result and confirms this kind of relationship (P <.0001).

KEY WORDS: Facial nerve, Parotid glands, Parotidectomy.